Johnnie St. Vrain: Driving Diagonal takes precedence over crossing it

Longmont Times-Call

Posted:
04/20/2014 07:32:41 PM MDT

Updated:
04/20/2014 07:35:59 PM MDT

Dear Johnnie: Here's a question for our state or county traffic engineers. Why would it ever make sense to not synchronize the lights going across the Diagonal so that a vehicle can make it from the west side all the way to the east side of the Diagonal in one light cycle crossing over the south- and north-bound lanes?

I have encountered this on many occasions, and it's puzzling why one would have to wait essentially two full light cycles to get across the Diagonal during non-rush hour times. This makes no sense to me.

I'm sure there are others who have wondered where the logic applies? — Barry

Dear Barry: There are others who have wondered. At least that's what Larry Haas tells me.

Haas is the traffic operations engineer for the Colorado Department of Transportation's Region 4, which is our area of the state. And he has an answer for you.

"The signal timing on (Colo. Highway 119) is in a coordinated plan for travelers on SH 119 (i.e. moving the traffic on the highway)," he wrote in reply to your question. "As a result of the efficiency on the highway there is a probability that the side street will suffer some delay."

No offense, Barry, but's all about keeping traffic on the highway moving.

They do keep track of how well cross-traffic moves.

"Usually the first 1-3 cars may make it through both signals depending on time of day, but due to the distance between the highways at Jay Road, 63rd and Niwot, some vehicles will not make it through."

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As for better traffic flow on the highway, Haas said that CDOT recently installed a new "signal coordination timing plan" at Jay Road and at Niwot Road. That has brought about a 6 to 8 percent improvement in traffic flow.

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